1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to industrial and commercial testing and recording systems and methods, and particularly to a system and method for testing and recording temperatures of a central processing unit (CPU).
2. Related Art of the Invention
Integrated circuit devices comprise many circuit elements arranged compactly in a single physical structure (i.e., a “chip”). When processing electrical signals in operation, these chips tend to generate heat. The amount of heat generated by an integrated circuit depends on several factors, including the density of circuit elements on the chip, the signal switching speed, and the signal power. Chips used in apparatuses such as computers are likely to generate large amounts of heat. This is because the integrated circuits generally comprise a very large number of circuit elements (i.e., transistors) arranged on the chip, and the circuit elements are generally operated at high signal switching speeds. The CPU of a personal computer is a quintessential example of this kind of chip.
The CPU can include thousands, or hundreds of thousands, or even millions of transistors in a single package. Each transistor generally acts as a switch, and operates in one of two states: conducting and non-conducting. Most of the electrical current that flows through a transistor does so while the transistor changes from the conducting to non-conducting state, or vice versa.
The transistors in the CPU change states synchronously with a clock signal. Thus the transistors in a typical 400 MHz CPU (i.e., a CPU operating from a 400 MHz clock signal) change states 800 million times per second. Of course, not every transistor in the CPU changes state on every edge of every cycle of the clock signal; some or even many transistors may remain in a given state throughout multiple clock signals. Nevertheless, in the typical CPU, much current flows through the numerous transistors at an extremely high rate each second. Overheating of a CPU not only risks shortening the useful lifetime of the CPU, but also can lead to failure of the computer system. Overheating of CPUs has been a significant problem for many years already. Further, it is generally accepted that the operating speed capabilities of CPUs will continue to increase in future, and that the problem of overheating of CPUs is likely to loom even larger.
For each particular kind of CPU marketed, a CPU manufacturer specifies a predetermined temperature range within which the CPU can operate properly and safely. If the actual operating temperature falls outside the predetermined range, the CPU may not function correctly, and the performance of the computer system may be impaired. For quality control, it is desirable that a CPU manufacturer employs a fast and efficient system and/or method for testing and recording temperatures of a newly manufactured CPU.